1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light transmission member including a light transmission portion with narrow-band light transmission properties and a light transmission portion with wide-band light transmission properties.
2. Description of the Related Art
Regarding related art of image pickup devices such as CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors, and so forth, light transmission members with light transmission portions that filter the primary colors of red, green, blue, and so forth (color filters) arranged via the Bayer method or the like (color filter arrays) have been used. With the recent aim to add functionality and improve performance of image pickup devices, in addition to light transmission portions that filter the primary colors, research is being done on the applicability of light transmission portions that filter auxiliary color and white color. These light transmission portions that filter auxiliary color and white color have light transmission properties in which their wavelength bands are wider than light transmission portions that filter the primary colors (wide-band light transmission properties). That is to say, the light transmission portions that filter the primary colors have light transmission properties in which their wavelength bands are narrower than light transmission portions that filter auxiliary color and white color (narrow-band light transmission properties). Japanese Patent application Laid-Open No. 2009-130575 discloses a light transmission portion that filters white color with the objective of detecting luminance components. Japanese Patent application Laid-Open No. 2011-243817 discloses light transmission portions that filter white color with the objective of expanding dynamic range. Japanese Patent applications Laid-Open Nos. 2010-020055 and 2010-147143 disclose light transmission portions that filter white color with the objective of focus detection. Japanese Patent application Laid-Open No. 2010-147143 proposes technologies to resolve issues with degradation of image quality caused by the configuration of a light transmission portion R that filters red color adjacent to a light transmission portion W that filters white color.
However, according to Japanese Patent application Laid-Open No. 2010-147143, there has not been adequate consideration with regard to the configuring of a light transmission portion G that filters green color adjacent to a light transmission portion W, and the configuring of the light transmission portion W adjacent to the light transmission portion R, and the light transmission portion W adjacent to the light transmission portion G.
Regarding light transmission members, if a light transmission portion that has wide-band light transmission properties and a light transmission portion that has narrow-band light transmission properties are adjacent, depending on the position and configuration of the two light transmission portions, they may interact with each other in a way that may lower optical properties of the light transmission members.